Advice & opinions needed please!
Routine enviro swabbing detected the presence of listeria mono. on a smoked fish slicing machine (2 out of 4 key inspection points) including the slicer blade. Swabs were taken AFTER cleaning the previous day. While samples were sent to the lab, 2 batches of product were sliced.
When the positive result was received, both batches were put into quarantine (none had been released)
5 samples of each product batch were then sent for testing (approx 300 units in a batch run)
We received test result this morning and ALL 10 samples of product show listeria NOT detected in 25g
Would you release these batches for sale?
The product is vac-packed, 28 day shelf life, cold smoked fish - there are no listericidal process steps
Hi Dralex,
This type of product has a long history of being "troublesome" micro-wise. It's a (particularly) high risk RTE food category.
For example, this was one of IFT's conclusions in 2001 in a Report for FDA -
Conclusions
The following conclusions are based on a thorough analysis and evaluation of the current science on control methods of human health hazards that may be associated with the consumption of cold-smoked fish.
Listeria monocytogenes
(1) Given the ubiquitous nature of L. monocytogenes, the lack of listericidal steps in the cold-smoking procedure, and the ability of the organism to become established in the processing environment and recontaminate products, it is not possible to produce cold-smoked fish consistently free of L. monocytogenes.
This is not unique to cold-smoked fish because this microorganism can be isolated from a wide range of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.
(2) By adhering strictly to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHPs) it is possible to produce cold-smoked fish with low levels of L. monocytogenes, preferably at < 1 cell/g at the time of production.
etc
IFT,Processing-Parameters-Needed-to-Control-Pathogens-in-Cold-Smoked-Fish.pdf 941.03KB
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More recently (2020) -
L.mono statistics in cold smoked fish.png 207.71KB
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Growth potential L.mono in some Salmon products.pdf 941.38KB
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JFI I also noticed this comment in a comprehensive review -
Skinning/slicing
Slicing and skinning are major steps in making VP smoked fish products. Studies have revealed that the slicing and skinning
areas can also be major points of L. monocytogenes contamination. L. monocytogenes serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b were repeatedly
detected in slicer belts, distribution trays, slicing machines, and slicing covers for 3 y in a smoked-salmon production facility (Di
Ciccio and others 2012). The slicing machines (37%) and working tables (43%) had the highest contamination out of the 95
environmental samples tested. In another study, Dass and others (2010) isolated MLVA types Lm c and Lm b of L. monocytogenes
in the slicer/skinner machines over a 1-y survey. Contamination was, however, much lower with just 1 or 2 samples out of the 36
samples tested. Johansson and others (1999) also found L. monocytogenes contamination in smoked (cold and hot) and smoked-salted whitefish and rainbow trout samples from skinning and slicing areas of a VP fish-processing plant
.
Review - L.mono in VP,smoked fish products,routes contam.poss.interventions.pdf 942.84KB
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Hold/Test/Release Options
The query stated in the OP can in Principle be answered via the specific LEMPG (listeria monocytogenes environmental monitoring program) in use. A variety of programs have been developed for this purpose although one can see similar logics within their constituent procedures/corrective actions. As examples three systems are referred below - (1) Canadian,(2) GMA,(3) USFDA/NFI
(1)
The Canadian link of post 6 offers considerable product/process advice via its Fig 1/Table 1 (see following "Canadian" pdf). The text details appropriate corrective actions/test procedures (as probably indicated in any associated HACCP plan), etc,. The potential release options given in Fig 1/StepB seem slightly divergent to the info stated in StepC and later updates (eg note the "HRA")..
(the sample sizes of Table 1 would likely be considered inadequate by USFDA)
Canadian Policy on L.monocytogenes in RTE Foods,2011.pdf 1.34MB
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PS - Note that Canada has also issued a separate document on RTE smoked fish (2018) -
https://inspection.c...4/1528201904208
Systems (2-3) are zone based and contain detailed corrective actions which have analogies to (1). Files are attached below. The FDA proposed sampling/testing schemes are partially borrowed from the equivalent FSIS manual for meat which I have additionally attached below JFI. The FDA/FSIS sample sizes can in some cases be considerably larger than in Systems (1,2) which may require some compromises.
GMA,L.mono,Guidance on envi.monitoring-2.pdf 334.07KB
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FDA,2017,Draft-Guidance-for-Industry--Control-of-Listeria-monocytogenes-in-Ready-To-Eat-Foods-(PDF)-2.pdf 795.29KB
13 downloads
NFI, RTE-Manual-Second-edition-April-2018.pdf 4.5MB
12 downloads
FSIS,l.mono - Controlling-Lm-RTE-Guideline-1.pdf 1.03MB
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(see especially pg 115 et seq)
(The FSIS manual is extremely detailed and may be of some direct value where its procedures overlap those of FDA).
@Dralex - Based on the above analysis, a critical initial query related to yr OP is as to whether you have implemented a LEMPG ? if not, should do so asap
As you can see the LEMPG (s) (and an equivalent haccp plan) answers yr OP query via a corrective action scheme (eg stripping/cleaning/sanitizing) followed by further (appropriate) sampling and evaluating the L.mono status of suspect FCS and related product. New results are then entered into the LEMPG to determine the possibility for onward processing and disposition of related product on hold. And so on.